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Do I really need to geta home inspection before I buy a home? Can’t my real estate professional spot any problems with a property?

Real estate professionals in Ontario have knowledge and expertise about many aspects of the home-buying process, and they may have the experience to identify defects in a property. But a qualified home inspector can identify underlying problems with a home’s major systems that real estate professionals are not trained to assess.

A typical Agreement of Purchase and Sale will include a clause that makes the purchase conditional on a satisfactory home inspection. It can be tempting to skip this requirement in “hot” housing markets.

But if you skip it, you’re taking a significant risk. Sellers may be unaware of property defects, so you can’t rely on their word that everything is in perfect condition.

A home inspection can help you avoid costly and stressful problems with electrical, plumbing, heating, and other unseen systems.

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To find a qualified home inspector, speak to your real estate broker or salesperson or check the websites of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (cahpi.ca) or the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (oahi.com)

If you have a question for Joe about the home buying or selling process, please e-mail askjoe@reco.on.ca .

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